By Chris Johnston, Michael Russo and Katie Strang
Members of the 2018 Canadian World Juniors team currently playing for NHL teams in the Stanley Cup playoffs could be called as witnesses during a sexual assault trial that is slated to begin next week in London, Ont.
Teams have yet to be notified if the players will be required to travel to London to take the stand or if they may participate virtually, league sources told The Athletic.
“It’s not finalized but we were told players in the playoffs would have to be accommodated,” said an agent for one of the players. “That must mean video.” The agent added that while he didn’t expect his client to be required to travel to London during the playoffs, a criminal lawyer advised him that the decision would depend on the “mood of the court.”
One general manager of a playoff team with a potential witness on its roster added: “My thoughts would be that it would be virtual. That’s what I expect.”
There are other players who could be called to testify who no longer play in the NHL or are on teams that did not qualify for the playoffs.
An NHL official told The Athletic that “everyone who has been asked to participate has indicated a willingness to do it, as far as I know.” That official believes that the players will be “participating in various ways depending on circumstance.”
The trial is expected to last approximately eight weeks, meaning it could extend into the Stanley Cup Final.
Five players from that 2018 World Juniors team — Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart, Dillon Dube and Cal Foote — will stand trial on sexual assault charges stemming from a June 2018 incident in which a 20-year-old woman alleged she was assaulted over several hours in a London hotel room.
The alleged sexual assault took place following a Hockey Canada gala celebrating the group’s championship. In the woman’s original statement of claim, filed in Ontario Superior Court in April 2022, she said there were eight players in the room when she was allegedly assaulted.
Nineteen of the 22 members of the Canadian World Juniors team attended the festivities in London. Of those 19, five were charged with assault. (McLeod is the only one of the five facing two charges; he was also charged “for being a party to the offense.”)
Seven players currently in the playoffs were in London the weekend the alleged incident occurred: Brett Howden (Vegas Golden Knights), Drake Batherson (Ottawa Senators), Taylor Raddysh (Washington Capitals), Sam Steel (Dallas Stars), Cale Makar (Colorado Avalanche), Jonah Gadjovich (Florida Panthers) and Robert Thomas (St. Louis Blues).
Another seven are no longer in the NHL or are on teams that did not make the playoffs: Colton Point (last played in ECHL), Dante Fabbro (Columbus Blue Jackets), Conor Timmins (Pittsburgh Penguins), Jake Bean (Calgary Flames), Tyler Steenbergen (last played in Europe), Maxime Comtois (KHL) and Boris Katchouk (AHL).
None of those 14 players have been charged with a crime.
Jordan Kyrou, Victor Mete and Kale Clague were on the 2018 championship team but were not in London the weekend of the alleged incident.
(Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic; top photos: Adam Glanzman, Patrick Smith / Getty Images)